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February 9, 2012
 
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Do Fringe and The X-Files take place in the same fictional universe?

by Mike Moody, posted Sep 21st 2009 8:02AM

fringe season two premiere x filesFringe isn't exactly the most original show on TV. Critics and audiences have been comparing it to The X-Files since it premiered last season. Like The X-Files, Fringe offers up creepy cases of the week and an overarching sci-fi conspiracy/mystery plot that helps build the show's rich mythology. In The X-Files, the conspiracy thread had something to do with shady government officials working with aliens and black tar – or something like that. In Fringe, it's called "The Pattern," a series of unexplainable events all seemingly connected to one William Bell and his company, Massive Dynamic.

Show creators Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and J.J. Abrams have acknowledged the influence of The X-Files on their show, but do Fringe and The X-Files actually take place in the same fictional universe?


During last week's premiere, there was a reference to the "X designation" during Broyles' meeting with the senators about the future of the Fringe division. It seemed like the senator was comparing how "the old X designation" and the Fringe division were both draining federal funds by investigating the unknown and unexplained. Was the senator talking about Mulder and Scully's X-Files?

It's likely that Abrams and crew were only paying tribute to one of their influences, like the scene in the apartment with the guy actually watching The X-Files on TV. Still, it's fun to think that Peter, Olivia and Walter could actually be carrying on Mulder and Scully's work at the FBI. I wouldn't be surprised if the Smoking Man showed up in season three.

Watch the Fringe premiere again -- or for the first time -- below or at SlashControl:

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21 Comments

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jsalexandra

Well i do think that Fringe is like the x files show.Treatment to some of the stories does imply to this.

November 12 2009 at 2:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike

Midnight13 had the answer.

How can you even ask this question? Fringe exists within a series of parallel universes. Asking if it exists in the same universe as anything, x, y, or z, misunderstands the fundamental nature of the show.

Even if the answer was, yes, it would also be no... because while one universe might be the X-Files universe, that isn't where Fringe exists... at most, it's where part of Fringe takes place.

September 21 2009 at 2:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tobias

Wow...fringe in Vancouver? They're really taking this X-files thing over the top aren't they?

September 21 2009 at 2:08 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
The Deej

They at the very least now share the same filming universe as Fringe moved production to Vancouver this summer.

September 21 2009 at 1:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
divineparasite

Its on secret that Abrams is heavily influnced by "The X-Files" when it comes to "Fringe". This is either a good thing for "The X-Files" fans like myself, or a bad thing. For instance the very same episode we are discussing dealt with a man who was nearly invincible, or a super soilder. A character that played a big role in "The X-Files" back since season 1 and throughout the series. However since "Finge" may or may not be dealing with parellel universes is it so hard to imagine that in one of these universes "The X-Files" while merely a telelvision show in our world, is a reality in another?

September 21 2009 at 1:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
patrick

x-files was a quality show, with great writing.

Fringe, based on the one episode I watched, is craptacularly cliched with eye-rolling dialogue. I'm sure others have said it before, Cringe might be a more fitting name for the show.

September 21 2009 at 1:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to patrick's comment
Carolina

I agree with you...the episodes are nothing but bad colages of x files episodes and Anna Torv just have no expressivity and there isn't any chemistry between her and Joshua Jackson.

September 22 2009 at 8:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gordon Werner

it was just a nod to fans of the show ...

September 21 2009 at 12:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ted

I think it's pretty obvious that they don't share the same universe. If they did, would they be watching a show of the x-files in the episode. Probably not.

September 21 2009 at 12:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Ted's comment
scott

exactly. however, they could have thrown us all for a loop if the guy had been watching the COPS episode of X-Files...

September 21 2009 at 12:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jon

If X-Files and Fringe are in the same fictional universe, that would also mean that the entire series takes place in Tommy Westphall's mind (crossovers from St. Elsewhere -> Homicide -> Law & Order -> Lone Gunmen -> X-Files -> Fringe). See http://home.vicnet.net.au/~kwgow/crossovers.html.

September 21 2009 at 11:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Jon's comment
TeenWolfie

Now that's frightening.

September 21 2009 at 12:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bubbameister33

Is his sister dreaming all the reality garbage?

September 21 2009 at 7:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Paula

Since a senator actually mentioned the old "X" division in the Fringe season opener, I'd have to say yes, Fringe and X-Files exist in the same universe.

September 21 2009 at 10:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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